Documentary Films
Observational Film #10, 119 minutes, 2024
- Berlin International Film Festival 2024
Observational Film #9, 128 minutes, 2020
- Ecumenical Prize, Berlin International Film Festival 2020
- The Best Film, Festival des 3 Continents 2020
- Official Selection: MoMA Documentary Fortnight, IDFA, Hot Docs, Hong Kong International Film Festival, RIDM, Watch Docs, etc.
Observational Film #8, 119 minutes, 2018
- Berlin Critics' Week 2018
Observational Film #7, 122 minutes, 2018
- Berlin International Film Festival 2018
- MUBI Audience Award "Streaming Film of the Year" 2019
Observational Film #6, 145 minutes, 2015
- Audience Award, Kinotayo Film Festival
- Official Selection: Locarno Film Festival, Festival des 3 Continents, Hong Kong
International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, etc.
Observational Film #5, 149 minutes, 2013
- Official Selection: Cinema du Reel (International Competition), Dubai International Film Festival (Competition), MoMA Documentary Fortnight, Hong Kong International Film Festival
Observational Film #4, 170 minutes, 2012
- Young Jury's Prize, Festival des 3 Continents
- Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival, Festival des 3 Continents, etc
Observational Film #3, 172 minutes, 2012
- Young Jury's Prize, Festival des 3 Continents
- Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival, Festival des 3 Continents, etc
Observational Film Extra, 75 minutes, 2010
- Audience Award, Tokyo Filmex
- The Best Documentary Award, Hong Kong International Film Festival
- Buyens-Chagoll Prize, the Visons du Reel
- Opening Film, DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival
Observational Film #2, 135 minutes, 2008
- Berlin International Film Festival 2009
- Best Documentary, Pusan International Film Festival
- Best Documentary, Dubai International Film Festival
- Special Jury Mention, Miami International Film Festival
- Outstanding Documentary Award, Hong Kong International Film Festival
- Inter-religious Jury Prize, Visions du Reel
- Received a post-production grant from Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund.
- Nominated for Asia Pacific Screen Award 2009
Observational Film #1, 120 minutes, 2007
- Berlin International Film Festival 2007
- Peabody Award, 2008
- Best Film, Belgrade International Film Festival
2010 - present
2010 - present
Short Documentary Film
Home
2011, 3 minutes 11 seconds
As a part of 311 A Sense of Home Films, curated by Naomi Kawase.
Television Documentaries
My Son Was Killed
そして息子は戦死した
2005, 20 minutes, NHK.
Worked as director/writer/editor.
111 First In Winter
真冬の１１１番地
2005, 20 minutes, NHK.
Worked as director/writer/editor.
The Metropolitan Museum Of Art Episode #4
110 minutes, 2004, NHK.
Worked as director/writer.
Solomon Guggenheim Museum
25 minutes, 2004, NHK.
Worked as director/writer.
Festival Of The Sun
太陽の祭り
120 minutes, 2002, NHK.
Worked as director/writer.
Internet Adoption
インターネットで家族が生まれる
59 minutes, 2001, NHK.
Worked as director/writer/editor.
Television Documentary Series "New Yorkers"
1997-2004, 20 minutes, NHK. Worked as director/writer/editor.
• Paul Greenberg (podiatrist)
• Sid Grant (dance host)
• Monica Reyes (massage therapist)
• Seth Krakauer (job coach)
• Mark Hanafee (U.S. coast guard)
• Darek Mazurowski (male au pair)
• James Fitzgerald (entrepreneur)
• Ella Alphonse (home attendant for the elderly)
• Mark Baker (promoter for night clubs)
• Beate S. Gordon (constitution writer)
• Jill Rose (chef)
• Eric Drath (boxing manager)
• Phil H. and Doris K. (filmmakers)
• Tricia Kaye (designer)
• Patrick F. Molloy (furniture craftsman)
• El Husey (musician)
• Joe Soll (psycho therapist for adoptee)
• Phil Beder (driver for wheelchair users)
• Shane Hong (inventor)
• Reza Namazi (real estate broker)
• Julia P. Jones (stage manager)
• Mary Barknecht (frugal life activist)
• Barry Jetter (junk furniture shop owner)
• Brooks Singer (book cafe owner)
• Catherine Schuller (plus-size model)
• Rory Schmidt (soldier)
• Diane Brown (art dealer)
• Eric Stuart (ADR director for Anime)
• Margaret and Michael (nature journalists)
• Steve Cannon (poet/writer)
• Daryl Khan (stringer for the New York Times)
• Jerry Dominguez (activist)
• Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!)
Fiction Films
The Flicker
17 minutes, 16 mm, 1997.
Official Selection: Venice International Film Festival, Max Orphuls Preis I international Film Festival.
Freezing Sunlight
85 minutes, 16 mm, 1996.
Official Selection: Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Brazil.
10 minutes, 16 mm, 1995.
Official Selection: Flanders International Film Festival, Umeo International Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Cinequest Film Festival, Bruno 16 Film Festival, British Short Film Festival.
5 minutes, 16 mm, 1995.
Official Selection: Canadian International Film Festival.
Awards: Special Commendation, Canadian International Film Festival
Publications in Japanese (as author)
Why I Meditate: My experiences of Vipassana Meditation
なぜ僕は瞑想するのか ヴィパッサナー瞑想体験記
2021, Homesha, Shueisha Publishing.
A Man Who Observes: Things A Director Thinks About When He Makes A Film
観察する男 映画を一本撮るときに、 監督が考えること
2016, Mishimasha Publishing.
Pick Up A Camea, And Go To Town: Discussing "Observational Film"
カメラを持て、町へ出よう 「観察映画」論
2015, Shueisha International Publishing.
Fascism Without Enthusiasm: Observing Japanese Apathy
熱狂なきファシズム ニッポンの無関心を観察する
2014, Kawade Shobo Shinsha Publishing.
Are Japanese People Wanting To Throw Away Democracy?
日本人は民主主義を捨てたがっているのか？
2013, Iwanami Publishing.
Theatre v.s. Film: Can A Documentary Capture Fiction
演劇vs映画 ドキュメンタリーは「虚構」を映せるか
2012, Iwanami Publishing.
Why I Make Documentaries
なぜ僕はドキュメンタリーを撮るのか
2011, Kodansha Publishing.
Mental Illness And Mosaic: Aiming Camera To The World of Taboo
精神病とモザイク タブーの世界にカメラを向ける
2009, Chuohoki Publishing.
Retrospectives
- Kinoyayo Film Festival, Paris, France, December 2022.
- Human Rights Festival, Zagreb, Croatia, December 2022.
- Watch Docs, Warsaw, Poland, December 2020.
- DMZ International Documentary Festival, South Korea, September 2020.
- RIDM, Montreal, Canada, November 2018.
- Festival dei Popoli, Italy, October 2017.
- Bozar, Brussels, Belgium, January 2016.
- UCCA Art Cinema, Beijing, China, December 2013.
- Hangzhou Asian Film Festival, China, October 2013.
- Japan Foundation, Canada, December 2012.
- South Taiwan Film Festival, Taiwan, October 2011.